Plunger fitting for deep well pumps



G. lB. MORRIS PLUNGER FITTING FoR DEEP WELL PUMPS Filed Aprir 17, 1930 .2. d5 al [im 01..' -liu Dec. 29, 1931.

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Patented Dec. 2K9., 1931 UNiTEo STATES PATENT ori-"Ici:-

GEORGE B. MORRIS, OF DRADFOBD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T BRADFORD MOTOR WORKS, OI BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA', A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA- rLUNGEn Frrfrme ron Dm WETL.- PUnrs application uca April 17, leso. sum1 No. 444,983.

This invention pertains to hydraulic pumps of the type used in oil and other deep wells, and relates more particularly to an improved form of reciprocating plunger and packing s arrangement for such pumps.

Among the chief difficulties encountered in the operation ofpumps. of this character and especially those employed in oil wells, is the rapid wearing out of the cups or packing, or both. Because of the heavy loads under which these pumps operate, and the sand and other abrasive materials encountered in the wells, this wearing takes place rapidly. It has been the usual experience to have the Il cups or packing wear out so rapidly that it is necessary'to withdraw the pump plungers from the wells for repairs at comparatively short intervals, and these operations consume a considerableV `amount of time and labor, and represent a complete loss. This, with the ineiiiciency inoperation of the pump Vcaused by wparing of the cupsor packing, constitutes a material part of the cost of operation of most oil wells. The present invention has for its chief vobject lengthening the working life of the cups or packing of such pumps. v With such an end in .view it is the primary object ofthe invention to provide a reciproeating plunger for use in pumps of the above described character which is equipped with a packing arrangement that is adapted to automatically adjust itself to constantly maintain a highly eicient leak-tight contact between the plunger andthe pump cylinder in which it operates, from the time it is put in operation until the packin is practically completely worn away, an whereby-the over-all operatingeiciency of the pump 'is greatlyv increased and also the llit'e 'ofthe packing. f g An outstanding featurefof the -invention v resides in the accomplishing of this object through the provisionof means for intermittently. subjecting the packing on theplunger to the head pressure of .the liquid column above the pump and for permitting it to relax or expand between the applications of such pressure. This intermittent compressing and relaxing of the packing produces a pulsating ing atrap to prevent sand and other abrasives deposited from the liquid columns above the pump from passing between the plunger and cylinder walls where it Wears outy the packing and plun r. l i v A further o ject is to provide a plunger of simple, sturdy construction, which in addition to being equipped with a novel highly eient long life packing arrangement, is, a v adapted to be quickly and easily takenapart and reassembled for cleaning and the making of repairs.

These and other objects will become more apparent when the following detailed descriptionis read'in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken -through a plunger constructed accordance with what is now considered to be -the ,preferredfor'm bf the invention, showing it arranged `in its associated cylinder ;,and Fig. 2 an elevational :view of the same with the cylinder removed.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as comprising a plunger consisting of lan inner body forming tube 1, having a couplin member 2 threaded on its upper end and eld securely in` place by means of a pin 3. A thread 4 formed on its ,lower end,l carries a hollow valve .chamber forming member 5 in which a one-way ball type valve 6 is arranged. Thisvalve rests on a seat 7, made of some suitably hard wearresisting lmaterial and firmly secured in a hollow retaining member 8, which is screwed into the lower endof the chamber-forming member 5. A pin 9 -is provided in chamber 10 l the plunger.

member 5 above the ball 6 to prevent its ob? structing the lower en'd of tube 1 when the valve is unseated. c

Above the member 5 there is mounted a comparatively long sleeve-like packing I11 which is adapted to make leak-tight enfagement with the walls of the pump cylin in which the plunger reciprocates. This packing may be made in any desired for-m and out of any suitable long wearing flexible material, but is preferably spirally wound, as illustrated in the drawings, with its lower end seated on a support 13 which is screwed onto the lower end of tube 1. To hold the support 13 in place, member 5 may be screwed into lock-tight engagement therewith.

Unlike the lower end of packing 11, the upper end, instead of being anchored to tube 1, is allowed to move axially thereon. A follower 14 is loosely mounted on tube 1 and seated on the free end of packing 11. Above this follower there are arranged a plurality of similarly mounted upwardly turned pack? ing cups 15 which are held in place and spaced rom one another by a plurality of loosely mounted spacer rings 16. To hold follower 14 against the free end of packing 11 and the packing cups in place, a coil spring 17 is inserted above the top spacer ring 16 with its one end bearing against the spacer ring and its other against the lower end of the coupling member 2.

The upper portion of the plunger is made up vof an outer tube 18 having an outer diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of the pump cylinder 12. This tube is attached at its lower end to coupling 2vwhich is provided with an exterior thread 19 for its reception, and has a pump rod engaging crown member 21 mounted A011 vits upper end for attaching the plunger to the pump rods (not shown). There are two chief reasons for making Atube 18 of substantial length, and of'substantially the same diameter as cylinder 12; one is to prevent thepressure of the columnmof liquid above the pump constantly bearing against the packing cups 15, andl hence constantly compressing the packingll, and the other is to provide a sand trap for collectin the sand and other abrasive material and anv inner tube 22, which constitutes an extension or body tube 1 and is mounted in the upper end of coupling 2 with its upper end extendingto near the top of tube 1-8. By this arrangement, a chamber 23 is provided between the two tubes 18 and 22 into which the sand can pass by wayv of the opening24 in crown 21 instead of piling up on the top of An important feature of the invention residesA in the intermittent subjection of the packing 11 vto the compressing eiect of the ead pressure of the liquid column above the pump for forcing it into engagement with the walls of the pump cylinder and plunger. This is accomplished by providing one or more openings or perforations 25 in ltube 1 above the packing cups 15 so that the liquid pressure in tube l is communicated to the packing cups 15 and by them transmitted to follower 14 bearing on packing 11, and by providing a ball valve 26, held in place by a perforated cage 27, on the upper end of tube 22. This valve assists valve 6 in lifting the liquid column in the well when the plunger is raised, but its more particular'purpose is to prevent the head pressure from being impressed upon the packing cups 15 and packing 11 on the up stroke of the pump. Hence the packing cups 15 are exposed to the head pressure of the liquid column upon the down stroke of theplunger only, which is when valve 26 is unseated.

As will be readily appreciated, due to the extreme depth below the surface of the ground at which such pumps are usually operated, the head 'pressure above the pump resulting therefrom produces a very substantial' compressive effect upon the packing when the upper valve 26 is unseated, forcing it tightly against the walls of the plunger and pump cylinder. The spring 17 is made sufficiently strong to hold the packing 11 in an eiicient operating contact with cylinder 12 on the upstroke of the plunger, but its effect on the packing is normally considerably less than that of the head `pressure. Hence when the head pressure is shut oi by the closing of valve 26 and the pressure in tube 1 reduced the packing is relieved and allowedto relax. The alternate, compressing and relaxing of the packing on the alternate strokes of the plunger keeps the packing in a continuallyilexible condition so that 1t is relatively easily maintained in intimate contact with the pump cylinder, instead of being allowed to become hardened and incapable of being forced into such contact as it wears away, which is a condition common in such packings where theyare subjected to a constant pressure.

In operating the plunger to remove liquid from a well, it is reciprocated up and down iJ the cylinder 12, which although not soI pump is impressed by reason of the openings 2 5 in tube 1 upon the packing cups 15 which in turn force the upper end of packing 11 downward' and its sides into en agement with the walls of the cylinder 12 and plunger tube 1. When the plunger is raised, valves 6 and 26 close, causing the liquid column thereabove to be raised and a suction to be established below them, drawing a new supply of liquid into the cylinder. With the closing of the valve, the head pressure is shut off from the packing and it is thereby relieved of that pressure on the upstroke of the plunger. Over a complete cycle of operation of the pump the main packing 11 .is 'alternately exposed to and shut ofi from the head pressure in the well. The pulsating action produced in this manner upon' the packing has the effect of keeping it in a continually flexible conditionwherebfy7 it is adapted to be at all times readily forced into eiiicient -operating contact' with the walls of the plunger and cylinder. In .actual practice,

i this has been found to both considerably 1ncrease the efficiency in operation of the plung- -erandmaterially extend the' life of the packing an inner body forming tube having an' opening in its fside wall adjacent its upper end, a main flexible packing below said opening, said packing vbeing anchored at its lower end and free at its upper, a loosely mounted follower seated on theupper end 0f said packing, an upwardly-turned packing cup above said follower, an outer tube of substantially the same diameter as said packing mounted on-the'upper end of said body tube, an extensin of the inner body tube mounted within and forming a' sand trap' with said outer tube, and a `one-way valve mounted in the upperend of ,said extension.

' 2. A reciprocatin pump plunger comprising'an inner body orming tube, a compara-l .tively long .iexible packing mounted upon said tube lwith its lower end anchored tb creto and itsI upper end arranged for free move- :ment-thereon, a follower loosely mounted on said tube and seated u on the free end of said packing, an upwar ly turned packing cup loosely mounted on saidrtube above-said packing ifollower, anouter open ended tube vof substantially the same outer diameter as the packing secured tothe upper end of said body tube, an extension of said body tube mounted within said outer tube and adapted A to form a sand Vtrap therewith, a one-way valve mounted in said extension, and yanother in/thelower end of the body tube proper.

3. A reciprocating pump plunger compri'sing an inner body forming tube, a comparatively longl iiexible packing mounted upon said tube with its lower end anchored thereto and its upper end arranged for free movement thereon, a follower loosely mount-a ,70 ed on said tube and seated upon the free end of said packing, an upwardly turned packing cup loosely mounted on said tube above said A packing follower, a spring above said packing cup constantly urging said cup toward `said packing, a couplin member secured t0 the upper end of said ody tube, an outer open ended tube substantially of the same outer diameter as the packing secured to the coupling member, a crown shaped pump rod engaging member secured to the upper end of said outer tubing, an extension of said body tube mounted within said outertube and also secured to said coupling member, and a one-way valve mounted in both the upper end of said extension and the. lower end of said body tube.

4. A reciprocating pump plunger comprising an inner body forming tube having a plurality of openings in the side wall thereof 99 adjacent its upper end, a maimexible packing mounted on the tubing below said opening'with its lower end rested upon a packing support securely attached to the tube, a packing follower loosely mounted upon the tube and seated u n the upper end of said packing; a plurality of upwardly turned packing cups loosely mounted above said follower, a spring above said packing cups arranged to constantly urge them toward said packing, 100 a coupling member secured to the upper end of said body tube, a comparatively long outer open ended tube of substantially the same diameter of the packing attached to said coupling member, a -pump rod engaging crown member attached to said outer tube, an inner tube comprising an extension of the body ,tube secured to said coupling'member and forming a sand trap with'said outer tube,

a one-way valve mounted -in the upper end of said.l body tube extension, and a similar valve mounted at'the lower end of the body tube itself l 5. reci rocating pump p unger com rising' an innler body forming tube havilig a 115 plurality of openings in thesidewall thereof adjacent its upper end, a main exible packingmounted on said tube below said openings and rested upon a packing support securely attached to the tube, av pack- 120 ing follower .loosely mounted uponthe tube and seated upon the upper end of said packing a. plurality of upwardly turnedpack I ing cups loosely mounted above said follower and spaced fromeach other by a plurality of similarly mounted spacer rings, a spring above' the uppermost of said packing cups arranged to constantly urge said cups toward the u pe; end of the main packing, a coupling mem r secured to the upper end of sald body tube, a comparatively long outer open ended tube of substantially the same diameter of the main packing attached to said coupling member, a pump rod engaging crown member attached to the upper end of said outer tubes, an inner tube'comprising an extension of the body tube also secured to said coupling member and'forming a sand trap with said outer tube, a one-Way valve mounted in the upper end of said body tube extension, and a valve mechanism mounted on the lower end of said body tube, said mechanism comprising a tubular chamber forming member threaded onto the lower end of the body tube in locking relation with said packing support, a hollow valve supporting member threaded into said 'chamber member, a valve seat in the upper en d of said Valve supporting member, a valve tted in said seat, and a pin in said chamber member limiting the upward movement 'of said valve.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

GEORGE B. MORRIS. 

